Grace College Kickers Sink Rival Pilots
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Josh Neuhart-
The Lancers remain in first place in the Crossroads League with the victory, needing two wins next week to secure its first league title since 1992.
“We did not defend well in the first half. We gave them too much space, and they were dangerous in that space. I thought the guys played much better in the second half. They were more connected on offense and on defense,” said Grace head coach Matt Hotchkin. “Damon [Binkley] was fast all night. Jon Christensen played strong, and Daniel Smith was very craft in the second half. The team wanted that win.”
Damon Binkley was a central figure in the rivalry game in the first half. After a balanced start to the game, Grace struck first. Binkley made a weaving run through Bethel’s backline and laid off a pass to Kyle Hamlin in the penalty box. Hamlin’s shot was saved, but Nikola Djordjevic slid in to score on the rebound.
Bethel responded, scoring on a 20-yard shot in the 22nd minute.
The Lancers (11-4, 6-1 CL) took their second lead of the game off the foot of Binkley. The freshman took on a defender on the right sideline. He faked a cut inside, dribbled hard toward the endline and beat the Pilots’ goalkeeper with a hard, slicing shot. Binkley thought he had scored again off a counterattack, but he was ruled offside.
The Pilots (8-6-1, 3-3-1 CL) found an answer again, converting on a cross into the box at the 31st minute to tie the score 2-2.
Binkley just missed out on the go-ahead goal late in the period. He stole an attempted clearance by Bethel’s goalkeeper but couldn’t direct his shot inside the goal frame, and the score remained 2-2 at the half.
The game-winning goal came 10 minutes into the second half. Binkley sent in a cross from the right endline, and Kyle Hamlin volleyed in the game winner on his birthday at the 55:11 mark.
Both teams had strong looks to score again over the final 30 minutes, but the score would remain 3-2 in Grace’s favor at the final horn. Goalkeeper Robbie Barnhill made eight saves in the match, including a few key ones in the second half, to earn the win for Grace.
Hamlin and Binkley took three shots apiece, and Daniel Smith fired two.
“We still have areas in which we need to improve. These guys work hard in practice every day, and we will be back at it on Monday to prepare for the next game,” Hotchkin said. “Thanks everybody for coming out to Miller Field to support the guys on a cold night!”
The Lancers’ final week of the regular season includes a trip to Marian on Wednesday night and a home match against Taylor on Oct. 24.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
MISHAWAKA – Grace’s No. 10-ranked women’s soccer team made short work of Bethel on Saturday, taking down the Pilots 4-0 on the road.
The win sets up a critical late-season matchup in the Crossroads League on Tuesday when Grace hosts Marian. The Lady Lancers (12-1-2, 4-1-2 CL) trail Marian by just one point for second place in the CL standings.
“The GCWS had a complete performance today. We met our objectives and were able to develop some great minutes,” said Grace head coach Michael Voss. “The possession was clean. We moved the ball well and had some clinical finishes.”
Four different players scored a goal for Grace, and the Lady Lancers outshot Bethel 19-6 overall.
Saturday’s game started slowly with Grace gaining the better part of possession. Neither team took a shot over the first 12 minutes, but the first shot produced a goal.
Meghan Wiles fired the first shot in the 13th minute, and it beat the Pilots’ goalkeeper for the opening goal.
Grace’s second goal of the half came less than 10 minutes later. Freshman Aubrey Feipel earned the first goal of her collegiate career, making the score 2-0.
The Lady Lancers, who outshot Bethel 10-1 in the first half, tacked on a third goal shortly before the halftime break. Jordan Hairgrove found the back of the net with 5:02 on the clock as Grace entered the midway point with a commanding 3-0 advantage. Eight of Grace’s 10 shots over the first 45 minutes were on goal.
The second half produced nine more shots and five more corner kicks for Grace, but the Pilots (2-13-1, 0-7 CL) held Grace to just one additional goal. Freshman Allison Vroon scored her first career goal on her third collegiate shot, giving Grace its final 4-0 scoreline with just 44 seconds remaining.
Overall, Grace held a 19-6 advantage in shot attempts and 7-3 in corner kicks. Thirteen Lady Lancers fired a shot, but no player for Grace had more than two.
Abby Schue earned the ninth shutout of the season, making two saves in 90 minutes.
The Lady Lancers’ matchup on Tuesday with Marian starts at 7 p.m. at Miller Athletic Complex.
VOLLEYBALL
FORT WAYNE – For the second time in two days, Grace's volleyball team pulled out a five-set victory in Crossroads League play.
The Lady Lancers (17-13, 8-6 CL) fell behind twice in the match but rallied each time to beat St. Francis on Saturday.
The first set helped set the stage for a hard-fought afternoon. Grace jumped out to a 5-1 lead and still was on top 16-10. The Lady Lancers were serving for the set at 24-22, but St. Francis came back with four straight points to steal the game 26-24 with two kills and a pair of Grace errors.
It was Grace’s turn to rally in the second game. St. Francis threatened to go ahead 2-0 with a late 22-19 lead, but Grace won the game with six unanswered points thanks to two kills from Naarah Foster.
The Cougars (9-17, 5-9 CL) recovered with a 25-18 victory in the third set, surviving 16 kills from Grace.
The Lady Lancers dominated the fourth set, going on top 20-11 en route to a five-point win.
The match went to a fifth and final set where Grace never trailed. St. Francis trimmed Grace’s lead to 11-10, but the Lady Lancers ended the set on a 4-1 spurt to win in five games.
Naarah Foster pounded out 15 kills on a .333 percentage to lead Grace’s offense, and Laken Chaney had 35 assists. Kelsee Zuidema recorded 14 kills, 1 solo block and 3 block assists, and Marta Bleed had 10 kills on a .556 percentage.
Tori Bontrager finished with 8 kills, 5 block assists and 2 aces, and Sara Miller produced 17 digs.
The Lady Lancers return to the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center on Wednesday, hosting league-leading Indiana Wesleyan at 7 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]
The Lancers remain in first place in the Crossroads League with the victory, needing two wins next week to secure its first league title since 1992.
“We did not defend well in the first half. We gave them too much space, and they were dangerous in that space. I thought the guys played much better in the second half. They were more connected on offense and on defense,” said Grace head coach Matt Hotchkin. “Damon [Binkley] was fast all night. Jon Christensen played strong, and Daniel Smith was very craft in the second half. The team wanted that win.”
Damon Binkley was a central figure in the rivalry game in the first half. After a balanced start to the game, Grace struck first. Binkley made a weaving run through Bethel’s backline and laid off a pass to Kyle Hamlin in the penalty box. Hamlin’s shot was saved, but Nikola Djordjevic slid in to score on the rebound.
Bethel responded, scoring on a 20-yard shot in the 22nd minute.
The Lancers (11-4, 6-1 CL) took their second lead of the game off the foot of Binkley. The freshman took on a defender on the right sideline. He faked a cut inside, dribbled hard toward the endline and beat the Pilots’ goalkeeper with a hard, slicing shot. Binkley thought he had scored again off a counterattack, but he was ruled offside.
The Pilots (8-6-1, 3-3-1 CL) found an answer again, converting on a cross into the box at the 31st minute to tie the score 2-2.
Binkley just missed out on the go-ahead goal late in the period. He stole an attempted clearance by Bethel’s goalkeeper but couldn’t direct his shot inside the goal frame, and the score remained 2-2 at the half.
The game-winning goal came 10 minutes into the second half. Binkley sent in a cross from the right endline, and Kyle Hamlin volleyed in the game winner on his birthday at the 55:11 mark.
Both teams had strong looks to score again over the final 30 minutes, but the score would remain 3-2 in Grace’s favor at the final horn. Goalkeeper Robbie Barnhill made eight saves in the match, including a few key ones in the second half, to earn the win for Grace.
Hamlin and Binkley took three shots apiece, and Daniel Smith fired two.
“We still have areas in which we need to improve. These guys work hard in practice every day, and we will be back at it on Monday to prepare for the next game,” Hotchkin said. “Thanks everybody for coming out to Miller Field to support the guys on a cold night!”
The Lancers’ final week of the regular season includes a trip to Marian on Wednesday night and a home match against Taylor on Oct. 24.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
MISHAWAKA – Grace’s No. 10-ranked women’s soccer team made short work of Bethel on Saturday, taking down the Pilots 4-0 on the road.
The win sets up a critical late-season matchup in the Crossroads League on Tuesday when Grace hosts Marian. The Lady Lancers (12-1-2, 4-1-2 CL) trail Marian by just one point for second place in the CL standings.
“The GCWS had a complete performance today. We met our objectives and were able to develop some great minutes,” said Grace head coach Michael Voss. “The possession was clean. We moved the ball well and had some clinical finishes.”
Four different players scored a goal for Grace, and the Lady Lancers outshot Bethel 19-6 overall.
Saturday’s game started slowly with Grace gaining the better part of possession. Neither team took a shot over the first 12 minutes, but the first shot produced a goal.
Meghan Wiles fired the first shot in the 13th minute, and it beat the Pilots’ goalkeeper for the opening goal.
Grace’s second goal of the half came less than 10 minutes later. Freshman Aubrey Feipel earned the first goal of her collegiate career, making the score 2-0.
The Lady Lancers, who outshot Bethel 10-1 in the first half, tacked on a third goal shortly before the halftime break. Jordan Hairgrove found the back of the net with 5:02 on the clock as Grace entered the midway point with a commanding 3-0 advantage. Eight of Grace’s 10 shots over the first 45 minutes were on goal.
The second half produced nine more shots and five more corner kicks for Grace, but the Pilots (2-13-1, 0-7 CL) held Grace to just one additional goal. Freshman Allison Vroon scored her first career goal on her third collegiate shot, giving Grace its final 4-0 scoreline with just 44 seconds remaining.
Overall, Grace held a 19-6 advantage in shot attempts and 7-3 in corner kicks. Thirteen Lady Lancers fired a shot, but no player for Grace had more than two.
Abby Schue earned the ninth shutout of the season, making two saves in 90 minutes.
The Lady Lancers’ matchup on Tuesday with Marian starts at 7 p.m. at Miller Athletic Complex.
VOLLEYBALL
FORT WAYNE – For the second time in two days, Grace's volleyball team pulled out a five-set victory in Crossroads League play.
The Lady Lancers (17-13, 8-6 CL) fell behind twice in the match but rallied each time to beat St. Francis on Saturday.
The first set helped set the stage for a hard-fought afternoon. Grace jumped out to a 5-1 lead and still was on top 16-10. The Lady Lancers were serving for the set at 24-22, but St. Francis came back with four straight points to steal the game 26-24 with two kills and a pair of Grace errors.
It was Grace’s turn to rally in the second game. St. Francis threatened to go ahead 2-0 with a late 22-19 lead, but Grace won the game with six unanswered points thanks to two kills from Naarah Foster.
The Cougars (9-17, 5-9 CL) recovered with a 25-18 victory in the third set, surviving 16 kills from Grace.
The Lady Lancers dominated the fourth set, going on top 20-11 en route to a five-point win.
The match went to a fifth and final set where Grace never trailed. St. Francis trimmed Grace’s lead to 11-10, but the Lady Lancers ended the set on a 4-1 spurt to win in five games.
Naarah Foster pounded out 15 kills on a .333 percentage to lead Grace’s offense, and Laken Chaney had 35 assists. Kelsee Zuidema recorded 14 kills, 1 solo block and 3 block assists, and Marta Bleed had 10 kills on a .556 percentage.
Tori Bontrager finished with 8 kills, 5 block assists and 2 aces, and Sara Miller produced 17 digs.
The Lady Lancers return to the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center on Wednesday, hosting league-leading Indiana Wesleyan at 7 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]
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